Highway 17 In Santa Cruz County Reopened After Fatal Head-On Crash

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SCOTTS VALLEY (CBS SF) – A portion of Highway 17 in unincorporated Santa Cruz County was reopened Friday afternoon after a head-on crash left one person dead and blocked traffic for over two-and-a-half hours, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officers received a call of the head-on crash at 10:43 a.m. on northbound Highway 17 just north of Scotts Valley involving a Toyota 4Runner SUV and a compact sedan, according to the CHP.

One person involved in that crash has been pronounced dead and others suffered serious injuries, according to CHP Officer Sarah Jackson.

The highway’s northbound lanes were closed and Caltrans crews were on scene to manage southbound traffic, Jackson said. All lanes were reopened by 1:27 p.m.

Motorists continued to speed by the scene of the crash as crews worked to clear the area, prompting Caltrans crews to issue slow-down warnings, she said.

The CHP was advising northbound drivers to use alternate routes to get to Santa Cruz, such as state Highway 152, state Highway 1 or Soquel San Jose Road to Summit Road.

No time estimate was available for when the northbound lanes would reopen on Highway 17.

Also Friday, a crash on state Highway 92 near state Highway 35 just after 11:00 a.m. prompted the CHP to issue a traffic advisory for the area.

Traffic in both directions on Highway 92 was diverted for for close to two hours because of the crash, which was being investigated by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

All lanes were reopened a few minutes before 1 p.m., according to the Sheriffs Office.
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